Man suspected of placing cameras in Cielo Vista restroom arrested

Police have arrested the man accused of placing cameras inside the family restroom at Cielo Vista Mall.

Irving J. Marquez, 28, was arrested Monday for outstanding traffic warrants, police said in a press conference Friday. His house was searched and several electronic devices were confiscated and searched. Police found several pornographic materials unrelated to the hidden cameras.

Marquez was then charged with possession of child pornography and booked on a $1 million bond.

Friday he was rebooked on invasive visual recording charges for the hidden cameras at the mall that were place in April and then again in January. The camera in January was not found but videos and images from it were on Marquez’s computer, according to police.

EPPD does not know which restroom the camera was planted in but said it was a family restroom somewhere inside of Cielo Vista Mall. The camera was placed in a different restroom on April 22 and found by someone using the bathroom.

“The camera he uses are about the size of a small flashlight and so it was easy to use and easy to conceal,” Lt. Rod Liston from the financial crimes unit said at a press conference.

Multiple tips were received identifying Marquez as the suspect. Police say Marquez’s own camera captured images of him planting the device in the restroom.

As a result, police were able to release multiple images of him to the public to help identify.

“In my opinion that's probably what did it is a distinctive tattoo that many people identified. We had several people who are able to positively identify him,” Liston said.

Police said there are at least 20 victims of different ages and genders from the first occasion alone.

Graphic images were found and police said multiple images of people, some not in control of their physical and mental faculties, were discovered.

“Unfortunately we need the public’s help again in identifying potential victims,” Liston said.

Anyone who entered the family restroom in the upper level of Cielo Vista Mall, outside the women’s Dillard’s on April 22 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:05 p.m. is asked to contact Det. B. Serna at 915-212-4121.

Police are also asking anyone who used any family restroom at Cielo Vista Mall anytime on January 21 is also asked to contact Serna.

Beyond that, police are asking anyone who feels, hey we were victimized by Marquez, to come forward for unrelated child pornography charges.

“We’re asking anyone who might have had any contact with Mr. Marquez over the last two or more years to contact us if they feel like they may have been a victim of another crime,” Liston said.

Police say they still have a lot of work ahead of them in coming weeks and numerous files to dig through.

“As you guys know digital evidence is tricky because especially with phones and iPhones sometimes those are impossible to get into. We have some good detectives and we were able to get in to the devices were lucky but we were blessed to have some good workers that were able to do that,” Liston said.

El Pasoans CBS4 spoke with are still trying to understand who someone would hide a camera in a restroom.

“Oh my gosh that is sickening, absolutely sickening. I have a 12-year-old and a 17-year-old and I just ... that just kills my heart to know that somebody would do something like that,” said Irma Munoz.

Munoz works in retail and said she will be more vigilant in the future checking restrooms after hearing the news.

Yasmine Montoya, meanwhile, said she doesn’t know where she can trust for privacy anymore.

“To know that somebody else is videotaping you and all of your privacy is gone and all you want to do is use the restroom,” Montoya said.

She just left the mall after shopping for a graduation dress.

Chiddy Amakiri was also shopping at Cielo Vista and said she’s glad she didn’t use the restroom there.

“It already feels like that should be somewhat of a private place where you're in a closed off area and I mean just knowing that he could be watching our moms or a family members or loved ones or little children who don't know if they're going to be watched is just really disturbing,” Amakiri said.